Duplex mailing envelope



Feb. 23 1926.

J. C. REDINGTON DUPLEX MAILING ENVELOPE Filed Dec.

. F+Z I JOHN C. REDINGTON, OF

PORATION, OF

1,574,058 PATENT OFFICE.

DUPLEX MAILING ENVELOPE.

Application filed December 24, 1923. Serial No. 682,373.

sealed if desired, while second or third or.

fourth class, or other mail matter, can be placed in the larger compartment and left open or accessible toinspection while being transmitted through the mails.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction whereby .a duplex envelope having a plurality of compartments may be constructed in a simple and satisfactory in a way that will be calculated to insure attracting the attention of the person who receives the envelope, and in a way that will tend to render the envelope more satisfactory.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction tending to increase the general efliciency and the de sirability of a duplex envelope of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which;-

Fig. 1 is a front elevation or faceview of a duplex envelope embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, transverse section on line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 33 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a plan view, on "a smaller-scale, showing the inner surface of the .blank from which the body of the duplex envelope is made.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, showing the blank which forms the inner wall of the smaller compartment 'of the duplex envelope.

. As thus illustrated, the invention com prises a rectangular envelope body formed from the blank shown in Fig. 4, having the manner,

front wall 1 with a curved or irregular slit 2 therein, extending vertically, and having an opening 3 to expose the address on the letter. The flaps 4 and 5 are folded over and fastened together, at the back of the envelope, as shown at 6, by the gum or mucilage 7 on the flap 4, will be readily understood. The end flap 8 is preferably gummedat 9 to fold over and seal, this end of the envelope. The other end of the blank has a wide flap 10, which QUINCY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DU-PLEX ENVELOPE COR- QUINCY, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

in a manner that is preferably not adapted to be sealed, inasmuch as it is merely tucked inside of the envelope after the second or third, or fourth class, or other mail matter, has been placed in the relatively large compartment 11 thus' formed. The smaller compartment 12 is formed by the blank shown in Fig. 5, comprising a rectangular sheet of paper 13 gummed around its edges at 14 to adhere to the inner surface of the front wall 1 of the main envelope. The slit or incision 2 forms a flap 15, in effect, and the other surface of the sheet 13 can be gumme'd to fasten it to this flap, and in addition, if so desired, a strip. of adhesive paper tape 16 can be applied as shown to the inner surface of the envelope to fasten the end of the sheet 13 in place. This end of the sheet 13 has a wide flap 17, which is gummed at 18 to enable it to be folded over and sealed on the outer surface of the envelope, as indicated in Fig. 1, thus sealing the smaller compartment. A sheet of transparent material 19 is preferably applied to the inner surface of the smaller compartment to close the opening 3 in the well known manner. Thus the flaps 10 and 17 are adjacentleachother, so that the two compartments are both'open at the right-hand end thereof, before the envelope is closed or before the smaller compartment is sealed, and whereby both compartments are opened at the right-hand end of the envelope as a whole. Of course, the two flaps 10 and 17 can be ateither end of the envelope, depending upon circumstances and requirements, without departing from the spirit of the invention. By associating the two flaps together certain advantages are obtained in the manufacture and use of envelopes of this kind.

The flap 17 is of sufficient length or width, as shown, to extend quite close to the end edge'QO of the envelope, and before the envelope is used the flap 17 extends as shown in dotted lines posed edge 21 is some distance from the fold insertion of the letter or other mail matter into the'smaller compartment. After things have been inserted in both compartments,

and after the flap 10 has been tucked inside, a number of these envelopes can be laid one upon the other, in a row, with the edge 20 of each envelope disposed somewhere be tween the line the gum or mucilage 18 will be exposed, and

' with the ends of the flaps 17 of the different envelopes slightly raised. With the enve lopes laid out in ing the smaller compartments, it will be found that the edge 24 of the flap 17 is so close to the edge 20 of theenvelope that very little of the surface of the envelope is ex-- posed between these two edges, and consequently a wet sponge, roller, or other device can be passed over the series ofenvelopes, without touching anything more than the gummed surfaces 18 of the flaps 17, inasmuch asrpractically all other surfaces will be covered, and the small portion of the front wall 1 of each envelope which remains expose-d or uncovered will be just'enough below the raised edge 24 of each flap to preventthe sponge or roller, or other device,

from wetting the surface of the envelope itself. Then the envelopes are'separated and the flaps 17 are folded overand secured in place,

as shown in Fig. 1, and by applying separate postage to the larger and smaller 10. and 17 will B0 '7 gummed or provided with thus the distance between mails.

compartments, as indicated at 25 and 26, the duplex envelope will be ready for the A line or border 27 serves to outline the smaller compartment on the face of the envelope, and tends tocall attention to the fact that the envelope contains something more than merely the second or third, or fourth rate, mail matter enclosed in the larger compartment.

In assembling the two blanks, both flaps extend in the samedirection, regardless of whether the flaps are at one end or the other of theenvelope; The flap 17 is desirably of such Size and relative ms rangement that several of the envelopes can be laid out upon a table,

pose of dampeningthe gum 18 by a sponge or roller, or other device, in the-manner explained, without danger of wetting the front surface .of the envelope.

partially covered by the end of the next envelope, as the flap 17- is ofsuch size that the entire surface thereof does not haveto be the'edges 20 of the series ,of envelopes is reduced practically to a minimum. To

22 and the line 23, so that this way on a table, for seal- 5 are used to form the back of the envelope,

overlapping each other, in the manner explained, for the pur- The flaps 17 are of such size that each of these flaps may be,

are thereafter closed and stamped while in an adhesive, and I still further re- .duce this exposed area ofthe front surface of the envelope, it is obvious that the flap 17 can be made larger and of such sizeand shape that its edge 24 will coincide with the edge 20 when theflap is in position for the wiping operation. (Jr, on the otherhand,

the slit 2 can be quite close to the edge 20,

or so close that its upper and lower ends fall on this line 20, and in that event the flap 17 will extend beyond the edge 20 when this,

flap is in position for the wiping operation.

In other words, some space can be left between the lines 20 and 24, and consequently between the flaps 17 of the different envelopes, when they are in position for the wiping operation. U11 the other hand, if desired, this slight space can be eliminated entirely by so proportioning the different parts that the end of each flap 17 will reach to the line 22 of the next flap, in the manner explained. g

The invention contemplates, therefore, the arrangement or proportioning of the flaps 17 of. the different envelopes of this kind, as explained, in such a manner that, when they are laid one upon another, in a row, upon a table, they can be' treated with a sponge or roller, or other wiping device, to moisten the gum 18 without danger of seriously wetting the front surface of'any of'the envelopes. In such' position. the edge 24 of each flap is nearer the edge 20 (and also nearer the entrance to the larger compartment) than the entrance 21 of the smaller compartment.

The front or face of the envelope, of course, is the side upon which the address is applied, irrespective of construction. As shown, the wall '1 is used as the front or faceof the envelope, while the flaps 4 and for the simple reason that the address appears through the opening 3, or in any suitable manner, on the side of the envelope formed by the wall 4 of the blank.

Thus the envelopes are filled and wiped and closed and stamped without turning them around. In otherwords, the envelopes keep the position shown in Fig. l for all of these operations, for the envelopes are arranged lengthwise in a row, in their overlapping relation, and the wiping with a sponge or other means for dampening the mucilage is lengthwise of each envelope. Therefore, the envelope, is filled, in both compartments thereof, while keeping the normal position shownin Fig. 1, and the envelopes are thenarranged in position for wiping without turning them around, and

the muc lage is moistened, and the envelopes this same position, all of which expedites and renders more satisfactory the "use of a duplex envelope of this general character. The flap 17 is of substantial length, it will be seen,'so that it extends close to the edge.

v2Q of the main envelope, or substantially so, and here will'be very little if any of 'the face of each main envelope exposed to contact with the sponge or other moisten- 5 ing means, when the envelopes are laid out lengthwise and wiped in the manner explained. In addition, the flap 17 of each envelope is down in the lower right hand corner, where it is convenient to perform the various operations, including. the wiping of the flaps to moisten the mucilage, by a sponge or other means held in one hand, while,,the other hand presses on the upper portion of the envelopes to hold them down in place. For example, when the envelopes are laid 'out in a row, the left hand. is

pressed on the envelopes above the row or protruding flaps, and thus above the line of wiping motion, while the other hand with the sponge or other moistening means is moved along the row of flaps to moisten the inucilage thereon. The smaller compartment is of considerably less area than the larger compartment, so that there is a substantial area at one side, preferably the upper side, of the row of flaps 17' formed by arranging the envelopes as explained. The left hand can be pressed down upon this areaat one side of the row of smaller compartments, to hold the envelopes in place, when they are laid out-in a row, so that'they can be held by one hand while the; wiping opera tion is performedwith the'other hand. Thus one hand is pressed down on the envelopes, at one side of the line of wiping motion, so that one hand does notinterfere with the other. In addition, it will be" seen that the wiping motion is parallel with the addresses of the envelopes. Thus the env lopes do not have to be-turned around when they are arranged for wiping, but are simply laid out with theiraddresses-parallel with the row of overlapping envelopes. Thus the en- 'velopes are filled and wiped and closed and stamped without turning them aroundthat 'is to say, while they face upwardly in reading position. v Thus the flap 17 is much larger than is necessary merely for sealing purposes, and is of such size and location that it'extends close to the edge 20 when bent back into the position shown in dotted lines inFig. .1, and is of such size that when it occu ice the. position shown in dotted: lines in ig. 3,'fis;.in. position to be moistened by the wiping'motion over the row of flaps, as the flaps will be in 'raised position, to some extent, ,thus' permitting a long row of these flaps to be moistened by one wiping mo- 7 tion, which motion is not obstructed vor interfered ,with by any pressure exerted on the upper portions of the envelopes to hold them in place during this operation. The enlargement of the flap 17 is to cover and protect some of the front of the envelopes, and to allow these flaps'to extend upwardly in position for Wiping. The smaller com.- partment is formed against the inner surface of the front Wall of the larger compartment, so that the flaps 17 is sealed directly against the front wall of the larger compartment, which wall is the seamless front wall of the envelope itself. As the flap 17 is of some length, and thereby extends quite a distance toward the edge 20, and an equal distance from the edge 22 in the opposite direction, the place for the ad dress is shifted or displaced a little, or any suitable distance, toward the left, as shown so as not to be covered by the flap 1? when. the latter is folded over and scaled down upon the face or address side of the envelope.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is:

1. That improvement in duplex envelopes which contemplates sufficient enlargement and special formation and location of the small compartment sealing flaps thereof, when a plurality of such envelopes are arranged in a row in overlapping relation Lu permit moistening thereof by wiping a sponge over the row of flaps, comprising means forming a plurality of compartments, one of said compartments being relatively small and within the area of the larger compartment, the smaller compartment being formed upon the inner surface of the front wall of the larger compartment, and a sealing flap of substantial length on the face of the envelo e for the smaller compartment, which ap is of sufficient size and location to extend close enough to the edge of the envelope to permit several envelopes of this kind to be arranged in overlapping relation with' the adhesive sides of their sealing flaps exposed and facing upward, and with the back or non-adhesive side of each flap facing downward but iraised a distance from the address side of its allotted envelope, so that the free edge of each fiap is nearer the edge of its em velope than the entrance to the smaller compartment, whereby the flaps which are larger than is necessary for merely sealing purposes may all extend in the same direction in said row and in sufficiently raised position for wiping lengthwise of the envelopes and parallel with the addresses thereof to mbisten the adhesive sides of the flaps, by means held in one hand while the. other hand is pressed down on the envelopes at one side roof the line of wiping motion,

with the flaps thereby close together to minimize the wetting of the front surface of the envelopes during the operation of wiping the said flaps thereof, the envelopes presenting a substantial area forming a wide margin at one side of said row of lot flaps, upon which to exert pressure to hold ing directly to said front wall of the largerthe envelopes down while wiping the flaps,

,thereby preventing any obstruction'to or interference with the wiping motion, and whereby the envelopes are filled and Wi ed and closed and stamped without turning them around, eachflap when sealed adhercompartment, which. is the front wall of the envelope itself.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said flap having a fold line which is parallel with one end edge of the envelope m that,

said fold line is vertically disposed when the envelope is viewed from the front, and the larger compartment having a flap which 3. A structure as specified in claim 1, the front wall of said envelope having a slit or incision therein'of a shape to form a flap,

and the smaller compartment being formed by a sheet fastened to the outer surface of this flap. I

4. A structure as specified in claim 1, said envelope having a flap for accessibly closing the larger compartment, both flaps extendmg direction after the folding thereof, and the two flaps being adjacent each other, substantially as and for the purpose described 5. structure as specified in claim 1,'said flap being integral with a section of sheet material which forms the inner wall of the smaller compartment, and means to fasten this section of sheet material to a portion of the outer-surface of the front wall of the envelope.

JUHN c. REDINGTON.

in the same direction before being folded and both flaps extending in the same 

